Burris: "I've done nothing wrong and I have absolutely nothing to hide"

February 18, 2009

Pertinent text of Roland Burris remarks on ethics probes provided by Clout Street's JOHN CHASE:

I'm new in Washington, ok? They don't know me out there yet. They don't know me yet, OK? Trust and relationships take time to build. But my record in Illinois goes back decades, as do my friendships with many of you in this room. Thirty years I've been in service of this state and you know me, you know the real Roland. I am the real Roland. If I had done the things I've been accused of, I'd be too embarrassed to stand up here in front of you because all of you are my friends.

"I'm from Centralia, you all know me. Ok? You all know Roland Burris. I have a history with you, a record I've built over a lifetime. Thirty years in public life and never a hint of scandal. In all that time and service to Illinois I never asked for anything in return—until today.

"I ask you today to stop the rush to judgment. You know the real Roland.

I've done nothing wrong and I have absolutely nothing to hide.

{Nothing left to hide?]

"Let's talk about the information in the media and about the misinformation they are reporting. If you look at the facts, just the facts without all the spin and all the sensationalism the issue is a simple one, two, three.

"Number one, yes, yes, I told people around the governor that I wanted to serve in the Senate.

Yes, I told my friends, I told the media, I told anyone who would listen that yes I was interested in serving Illinois as a senator.

I told that to the committee and I said that in my affidavit.

"Number two, no I did not have conversations about my appointment—now I'm talking about actually being appointed—with anyone other than the governor's attorney. No one else reached out to me to talk about the appointment and that is in my affidavit also.

"Number three, yes, the governor's brother reached out to me as he'd done over the years to do fundraising when it's (unintelligible) make a call. But I did not give one single dollar to the governor. That simple. So to anyone, any citizen, any politician, any committee organization or agency, let me say this again.

I have nothing to hide and I will continue to be transparent.

[continue?]

When the Sangamon County state's attorney would like to question me, I will be there. I will answer anything asked of me by the United States Senate ethics committee. If the federal authority would like to talk to me about the contacts I had I will cooperate in any way I can.

I welcome the scrutiny.

"What I will no longer do after today—and get this please—now that there is an ongoing investigation it's engaged, the media and their facts drip out in selective sound bites. I'll repeat that. What I will no longer do after today, now that there is an ongoing investigation is engage the media and have facts drip out in selected sound bites. I invite the scrutiny because we need to focus back on the people of this state where it belongs…

You know, you know the real Roland Burris.

Burris then took a few questions from the crowd.

Q. Are all the facts now out?
"They're out from me. I don't know who else they'd be out from. They're out."

Q. Was it wrong of you to solicit funds for Rod Blagojevich at the same time he was considering you for the Senate?
"I was never considered for the Senate."

Crowd murmurs: "What? Huh? What?"
"I was never considered by the Senate."

Crowd: That's wrong Roland! That's not the question!
(Question is then repeated)

"As I said in my statement we would not make any responses to those type of questions. I said that in my statement.

We would not make any responses to that question. Thank you."

A few in the crowd boo and hiss.

I am one of The People of Illinois and I have no idea what he intends to do in the senate other than lie his way there. He really bums me out. I was rooting for him. What's blago saying abut all this. I think he just lost himself a lot of the jury pool he had won over by appointing Mr Burris.